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Satellite altimetry
Author(s) -
Stanley H. Ray
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg017i006p01418
Subject(s) - altimeter , remote sensing , satellite , instrumentation (computer programming) , satellite altimetry , nadir , meteorology , geodesy , geology , environmental science , geography , computer science , aerospace engineering , engineering , operating system
Since the last national report to the sixteenth General Assembly, research activities in the development of appropriate techniques and the direct application of altimeter data have moved rapidly from the launch of the SKYLAB S‐193 Experiment in 1973 through the GEOS‐3 launched in June 1975 to the SEASAT‐1 launched in June 1978. GEOS‐3 is still providing some data, SEASAT‐1 ceased functioning on October 9, 1978. The basic satellite altimetry concept involves vertical measurements to the nadir surface from an orbiting platform. Although highly dependent upon the characteristics of the instrumentation and the orbiting platform, these vertical measurements contain information concerning the distance to the surface, the scattering properties of the surface, and the condition of the transmission medium. The plan of this review is to show the present status of the instrumentation and to discuss the applications of and near‐term prospects for the altimeter and altimeter data.